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8 Athletes That Might Be Skipping Leg Day (And 7 That Clearly Aren’t)

The life of a pro athlete encompasses many things. If you’re serious about your sport, you’ve got to concentrate on each different aspect. You’ve got be willing to first do the bare minimum, then go above and beyond if you want to reach the top, be the best you can be. There’s practicing your sport. There’s dieting. There are a ton of other things that you’ve got to do. One of the most important things, a vital aspect of being a sportsperson, is training. Sure, this involves practicing your sport, honing your skills. But then there’s general fitness, strength, endurance. A lot of athletes are gym rats, work their bodies by pounding the treadmill, pumping iron and pushing their bodies to the max in the weights section.

The vast majority of people who lift weights are T-shirt bodybuilders. They train the torso, upper body, the arms. But when it comes to the lower half, the legs…nah. Legs are often neglected. If you’re just lifting weight for hell of it, for fitness and because you want to develop certain body parts, crack on. But having strong powerful legs is vitally important in a number of sports. The legs and the core – that’s where a lot of power movements come from. Athletes can’t really afford to neglect them. We have a sneaky suspicion that some athletes might be doing just that. Here are 8 who might be skipping leg day and 7 that clearly aren’t.

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15 Skipping: Novak Djokovic

via japantimes.co.jp

Novak Djokovic is undoubtedly one of the greatest tennis players to have ever lived. What he’s accomplished in the sport is just remarkable. For many years he was untouchable; you could basically write his name on the check and trophy before he’d even stepped on court. A lot of this success was attributed to his training regimes. He took the term of fitness in the tennis world to another level. He wasn’t, and never has, exactly been built. He’s wiry and ripped. He doesn’t have an ounce of fat on him. This helps his game. It’s meant he’s able to be relentless on the court as he goes about beating his opponents into submission. He’s flexible, fit and healthy, and it helps his game. He was right mentally and physically. Of late things have changed on that front.

Novak, despite being wiry, does have a lot of lean muscle packed onto his torso and upper body.

At times it’s impressive when he takes off his shirt. But in comparison, his legs are stick thin. You’d think that tennis players would have some meat on their legs, especially Novak with his type of game and style of play. Novak has an athletic figure. But it’s evident that leg day isn’t his best in the gym.

14 Clearly Not: Rafael Nadal

AP Photo/Vincent Thian

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Here’s another tennis player, someone at the other end of the scale when it comes to body type. Both Rafael Nadal and Novak have enjoyed a fierce rivalry over the years. As fans, it’s been captivating stuff, a pleasure to witness. Both players dipped away for a period. Novak is still in the process of trying to regain his form. It seems as if Rafa has once again found it. The King of Clay is running rampant on the surface, is decimating everyone who stands in his way. He’s once again at the top of the rankings.

One reason why their rivalry has been so intense is because of the physicality of their matches. Both players are renowned for their fitness. They’re relentless on court, will just keep on going. Novak is the more wiry athletic type. Rafa has a bigger build. He’s still extremely fit and athletic. But due to his build he’s able to impart more power into his strokes.

Since Rafa started, he became known for having the best body on tour. He wore tank tops to show off his muscular arms. But his legs are also pretty big. It’s safe to say he’s got a pair of the most muscular legs in the sport. It’s no surprise he’s able to keep on going, can run anything down with those trunks.

13 Skipping: Peter Crouch

via si.com

Peter Crouch has enjoyed a pretty decent career. The English soccer player has tasted plenty of success over the years. He’s played for some pretty big clubs in the English Premier League. He’s also enjoyed a more than decent international career, having played for England 42 times and netted on 22 occasions.

Peter Crouch is known for a lot of things. He’s known for his goal scoring prowess. He’s known for being an awkward, ungainly player. It’s made him a nightmare to defend against. He’s known for batting way out of his league in terms of his other half. He’s known for being 37, one of the oldest players in the Premier League and still going strong. And he’s also known for his height. Peter towers above defenders at 6-foot-7. He’s got a tall, lanky, wiry frame. It’s hard to pack muscle onto that kind of a physique.

You’d have to say that in comparison to other soccer players, other strikers who are usually bullish and rely on power, Peter is pretty skinny. His legs are quite skinny for a pro soccer player and the rest of him is pretty lanky. Peter is someone who certainly skips leg day. Due to his age and his physique, it wouldn’t surprise us if he skipped gym days altogether.

12 Clearly Not: Serena Williams

via sportingnews.com

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What Serena Williams has achieved over the years has just been ridiculous. On her day she can decimate any opponent, make them seem like amateurs. She’s arguably the best tennis player who’s ever lived. Scrap that – she’s arguably one of the greatest athletes who’s ever lived. She’s a tennis phenomenon alright, a global superstar. The rest of those on the WTA tour must have breathed a collective sigh of relief when Serena took time off to give birth. But now she’s back and is looking to make up for lost time.

Serena isn’t your stereotypical tennis beauty. Female tennis players have long been regarded as being among the most beautiful sportswomen in the world. Serena’s beautiful, but in a different way. She doesn’t have a stereotypically feminine physique. She’s not exactly lean and svelte like those she comes up against. At times, Serena’s physique has resembled that of a bodybuilder.

She’s rippling with muscles, is one seriously strong and powerful woman.

Her lower half is even more muscular. Her legs are absolutely massive. One of her thighs, are probably bigger than both of Novak’s put together! Serena’s naturally blessed when it comes to building muscles. But she’s clearly worked hard to develop her physique even further in the gym. She’s taken her physique to the next level, and those legs – wow! They’re awe-inspiring, are certainly a sight to behold.

11 Skipping: Kevin Durant

via pinterest.co.uk

Perhaps only second to LeBron James Kevin Durant is regarded as being one of the best players in the NBA. He’s certainly one of the most popular players. He’s won a ton of accolades and is one of the worlds’ highest earning basketball players. He’s currently with the Golden State Warriors where he’s been enjoying a stellar time of things.

Basketball pros aren’t exactly known for being big and built. They’re extremely tall and so packing a significant amount of muscle onto their frames is a tough task. Some in the NBA have managed to do it though. They’re tall, yet are lean, muscular and athletic at the same time.

Kevin Durant is certainly athletic. There’s no doubt about that. He wouldn’t be playing in the NBA if he wasn’t. But he’s not a guy who’s really known for his body, unless you’re talking about his height. With shoes Kevin stands in at 7 ft. tall. He’s got long, gangly limbs. He’s known for being one of the skinniest people in the NBA. All you’ve got to do is look at his legs to know how skinny he is. A lot of people have joked that he’s got hockey sticks for legs; big feet and skinny legs.

10 Clearly Not: Cristiano Ronaldo

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Alongside Lionel Messi, Cristiano is regarded to be the best player in the world. He’s arguably the greatest player of all time. All you’ve got to do is look at his stats, all the accolades and achievements that have come his way over the years. What he’s achieved on the soccer field, some of his feats, have just been ridiculous.

Cristiano just has this star quality about him. He’s got the looks, has the persona, and has the skills to back it up. It’s little wonder he’s such a popular figure, is revered like a god in Madrid and in his native Portugal.

Another thing that Cristiano can claim to have is one of the best bodies in the sport. His physique is just ridiculous. He’s shown it off quite a few times over the years. He’s ripped, his physique is rippling with lean muscle. He’s someone who works hard on his physique, for aesthetic purposes, but also because he wants to be the best and for as long as possible.

Cristiano might have an eight pack. But he’s not just a T-shirt gym goer. He knows that having strong legs is vitally important in soccer. He therefore spends a lot of time working on his legs in the gym. Some images of his legs are just ridiculous. His legs resemble that of a pro bodybuilder posing on stage. No other soccer player can come close to matching him when it comes to built, impressive legs.

9 Skipping: Chris Sale

via: pinterest.co.uk

Boston Red Sox pitcher, Chris Sale, is known for his skinny frame, among other things.

Baseball fans have gotten used to seeing big, powerful barrel-chested men. They’ve been used to seeing guys who can pitch 90 mph fast balls and hit the ball out of the park. Chris Sale can do this as a power pitcher. He’s known for achieving a high number of strikeouts.

Chris Sale proves you don’t have to be a big muscular guy to excel in baseball. You need the rhythm as a pitcher, the skills. Sale certainly has those things in spades.

In addition to being known as a strikeout king, Sale is known for his physique. He doesn’t exactly have an awe-inspiring physique. He’s tall, skinny and lanky. He’s 6-foot-6 and weighs 180 lbs. The guy’s fit and doesn’t have an ounce of fat on him. But he’s eternally thin. Chris knows it too. He’s skinny all over, especially in the legs department. Luckily for him he doesn’t have to show off those legs on the baseball field.

As reported by MLB.com, Chris has made the effort to get bigger. He’s trying to hit the 200 lb. mark. He eats pretty much whatever he wants, including lots of junk food. He just can’t make the scale go up. A lot of people would love to have his metabolism.

8 Clearly Not: Lindsey Vonn

Numerous opinion polls have Lindsey at the top spot when it comes to the world’s most beautiful athletes. Those who know about her, have followed her career and know a thing or two about her personality, would know that she’s a beautiful person inside and out. She’s got the looks and the star quality to match. Regardless of what she does on the slopes as an alpine skier, it’s meant she’s always going to be popular and remain in the limelight.

Lindsey, being the superstar she is, leaves no stone unturned in her preparations when it comes to trying to achieve glory on the slopes. When she’s got all of her gear on on the slopes, we don’t get to see much of her physique. Luckily for us Lindsey’s done plenty of modeling over the years and is very active and open on social media. We’ve therefore seen tons of pics of Lindsey in all of her glory. We know she trains hard and possesses one amazing physique.

Having a strong core, lower half and strong legs is an integral part of skiing. Lindsey therefore works her legs in the gym a lot. She posts plenty of pics of her doing so, squatting and whatnot. But we didn’t really need to see photos of her working out to know that she’s into leg workouts and that she’s not skipping leg day. That much is evident.

7 Skipping: Amir Khan

via boxingnewsandviews.com

A lot of people think that boxing is about having a tremendous amount of upper body strength. People think that the power that comes from punches comes from the arms, the shoulders. Sure, they do have a part to play. But any boxer will tell you that the power imparted in punches comes from the core and the legs. They swivel as one and that results in some explosive power.

Aside from punching power, we all know that having strong legs is important in boxing. If you get hit – which as a boxer, you inevitably will – you want to stay on your feet. You can’t have your legs wobbling, giving out. That’s what results in you crashing to the canvas and being out for the count. Unfortunately for Amir Khan that’s happened all too frequently during the course of his career. We’ve seen those legs wobble and turn to jelly time and time again. That indicates that perhaps he doesn’t pay as much attention to working those legs, to leg day, as he should. Sure, he does fight at welterweight so he’s never going to get massive or develop tree trunks for legs. He wouldn’t want to anyway, wouldn’t want to be rooted to the spot. But due to the outcome of his fights over the years, it seems as if some strengthening work is definitely needed.

Jessica Eye is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the flyweight division. Due to her prowess as a fighter, particularly in the UFC, Jessica is regarded to be one of the best strikers in the world.

Up until four years ago, Jessica was enjoying a stellar career. But she’s lost five out of her last seven fights. She needs to get back on track. Despite these losses she’s still regarded as being one of the best.

Aside from her fighting prowess, Jessica is known for having a great physique. Away from the octagon, she’s modeled for the likes of Cosmopolitan.

Jessica isn’t just pretty, doesn’t just have a good-looking physique, it’s a package that’s functional too.

MMA competitors like in boxing, need to have a strong trunk, stable core, and solid legs.

That’s where they get stability from, not to mention power. Jessica has that in spades. She’s got some of the meatiest legs in the sport. She’s clearly not skipping leg day. Actually, Jessica’s clearly not skipping any gym workouts. She’s lean and muscular, strong all round. It’s no surprise that she was once such a dominant force in the UFC. Her legs, and career, have wobbled a tad since though.

5 Skipping: DeSean Jackson

via stack.com

If you want to make it in the NFL, the perception is that you’ve got to be big and built. Well, you can be built without necessarily being big.

Everyone knows the importance of explosive leg power in the NFL. It’s why squats are an integral part of NFL training. Squat your bodyweight or more and you’ll be getting approving nods from your teammates, and I’m talking proper squats – butt to heels. Do you reckon DeSean Jackson can squat his bodyweight? I doubt it. He might manage a rep or two. But he won’t be doing any sets. It’d be a surprise if he incorporates any squats, any leg training at all into his workout routines. If he does, we can assume he does so begrudgingly. That’s because DeSean really doesn’t have much meat on those thighs at all. The rest of him is skinny – skinny for a pro football player anyway – too. He’s 5-foot-10. and weighs in at 175 lbs. To be fair to him he’s someone who relies on his speed. So, he must do some sort of leg training, but probably not much strength work. It's a good thing it's hard to catch him in the open field.

4 Clearly Not: Robert Forstemann

via; best-body-nutrition.com

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Type Robert Forstemann’s name into any search engine, do an image search, and your eyes are likely to pop out of your head. Upon first impressions, you’d probably say that Robert’s a bodybuilder, that he competes and is a pro. He might be a recreational bodybuilder. But Robert’s actually a cyclist. He’s a German track cyclist and he specializes in sprint disciplines. That means he needs plenty of power in those legs. He’s certainly got that alright.

Some people are just naturally blessed when it comes to muscle in certain body parts. One feels that Robert is one of these people. He’s a genetic freak when it comes to his legs. You could work your legs 24 hours a day, seven days a week if that’s what you want to do and youur legs still won’t be anywhere close to Robert’s in terms of their muscularity.

Robert’s got some of the biggest, most muscular legs in the world of sports, and that goes for bodybuilding too.

They really are just ridiculously massive. He’s blessed with the right genetics but obviously works his legs too. He’s made a name for himself, not just due to his feats on the track, but because of his physique, his massive legs.

3 Skipping: Caroline Garcia

via: celebmafia.com

Tennis is a sport that’s filled with beautiful athletes. It’s amazing how many beautiful women tend to come through the ranks of the WTA. Every year we see some new faces. Due to the inconsistencies of the women’s draw, we see a lot of them too, see them going on decent runs at big events. That’s what happened to Caroline Garcia. Up until a few years ago, the 24-year-old French pro was an unknown entity. How things have changed for Caroline. She’s had a stellar few years and it’s propelled her up the ranks, and to the forefront of every female tennis fans’ minds.

Caroline is known for her prowess on court but is also known for being a beautiful athlete. She’s beautiful, but she’s not exactly ripped and muscular. She maintains a svelte physique, but one feels she doesn’t spend a lot of time in the gym. She’s lean and slim. Her legs have got to be the skinniest part of her body. She evidently doesn’t spend a lot of time working on her legs. Some would argue that’s just femininity. Whatever your opinion might be, there’s no doubting the fact that Caroline doesn’t spend her days in the gym working her legs.

2 Clearly Not: Brock Lesnar

AP Photo/John Locher

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Brock Lesnar’s place on this list, under this section anyway, may cause a few raised eyebrows. There’s no doubting Brock’s freaky size. That’s something he’s been known for ever since her first came into the limelight. He had awesome physical presence about his. He’s only gotten bigger and more freakier as the years have rolled by.

But, like a mentioned, some people may not totally agree with Brock being featured on this list. That’s because, in comparison to his body, you can say that his legs are pretty small. I’ll reiterate that point again – in comparison to the rest of his body. But isolate his legs and look solely at them, and you’ll realize that Brock has tree trunks for legs. He may spend plenty of time in the gym pounding his upper body into shape. In fact, we know he does. But he certainly doesn’t neglect to train his legs. They’re still a mightily impressive part of the Brock Lesnar physique.

Brock’s had strong legs since he was a kid. He grew up in a rural, farming community. Initially he used what he had around him, the farm, to sculpt his body and work those legs.

He’s needed powerful legs too in wrestling and in MMA. He’s a sports nut, and as with most sports, power comes from the legs.

1 Skipping: Tyson Chandler

via usaftw.com

Tyson Chandler plays in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns. At the age of 35, he’s developed into one of the world’s most intimidating defenders. He’s earned that reputation due to his prowess on the basketballs court, not because of any size or physical attributes that make him stand out.

Most basketballs players are tall and built too. It’s hard and not functional to pack massive amounts of muscle onto their frames. That’s why a lot of pros work hard in the gym to develop lean muscle. They’re lean and ripped. Looking at Tyson’s frame, he obviously spends time in the gym. He’s not as muscular as some other players in the NBA, but he’s still lean, is in great shape. But go down and look at his legs and it’s a different story. Some people just can’t develop leg muscles, regardless of how hard they try. Tyson seems to be one of these people. But with Tyson, we doubt he even does try. He’s probably resigned to the fact that he’ll always have skinny legs. His legs have been called skinny flamingo legs. Looking at the picture above, the woman posing with Chandler seems to have more developed leg muscles.